As the NFL postseason is set to commence this weekend, half of the teams in the NFL are preparing for games while the other half are preparing for next season. Between coaching changes, draft expectations, and other considerations, news has been heavy around the NFL. Let’s take a look at some of the major stories from the week:
Trevor Lawrence Declares For Draft
To no one’s surprise, Trevor Lawrence made the formal announcement this week that he will be forgoing his senior season and entering the NFL draft. While there were some murmurs that Lawrence may opt to stay one more season, most expected this would be the outcome.
He is likely happy with the end of the season swap at the top of the draft as the New York Jets managed to win a couple of games, meaning that the Jacksonville Jaguars will take over the reins with the first pick in the draft.
In need of a quarterback, the Jaguars likely go with Lawrence. The Jaguars are searching for a new general manager. Still, owner Shad Khan recently told The Athletic that he would be overseeing roster control for the immediate future, and he has his sights on a franchise quarterback. He is likely referring to Lawrence.
Despite missing a couple of games with COVID-19, Lawrence threw for 3,153 yards this season with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for 203 yards and another eight scores.
Lawrence and the Clemson Tigers came up a bit short in the College Football Playoffs as they lost to Ohio State in the semifinals. In the loss, Lawrence threw for 400 yards and two touchdowns.
With players like James Robinson and DJ Chark in the fold, the Jaguars’ offense could begin to turn around rather quickly if Lawrence can step in immediately and be effective.
In terms of the draft, he is not the only quarterback that has declared for the draft as Ian Book (Notre Dame), Kyle Trask (Florida), and Zach Wilson (BYU) have already done so. Furthermore, Justin Fields (Ohio State) and Mac Jones (Alabama) are expected to follow suit after their championship game on Monday.
Coaching Carousel In Full Swing
On “Black Monday,” the Monday following the last weekend of the regular season, it never seems to fail that several NFL coaches find themselves on the unemployment lines. This season is no different as the New York Jets (Adam Gase), Los Angeles Chargers (Anthony Lynn), and Jacksonville Jaguars (Doug Marrone) all parted ways with their head coaches.
Including the three that were fired in-season – Lions’ Matt Patricia, Falcons’ Dan Quinn, and Texans’ Bill O’Brien – there is now six vacant head coaching jobs in the NFL.
Of course, as mentioned above, the Jacksonville Jaguars may be the most intriguing job as they now hold the top draft spot, one they will likely use on Trevor Lawrence. Still, all of the teams have certain enticements. For instance, the Texans, who hired their new GM in former Patriots exec Nick Caserio, have a star quarterback already in place in Deshaun Watson.
Some of the names that have surfaced thus far as coaching candidates include Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, Panthers’ offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and others. Even Urban Meyer has been mentioned as a potential for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While nothing is set in stone yet, look for these organizations to try to fill their head coaching spots in the near future to be prepared as they enter the offseason.
Dolphins To Stick With Tua At Quarterback
While the club announced that offensive coordinator Chan Gailey would be resigning from his position, it doesn’t mean they aren’t content moving forward with other parts of their offense. One area, in particular, seems to be at quarterback.
Chris Grier, the Dolphins’ general manager, said that Tua Tagovailoa is their starting quarterback moving forward. Throughout the season, there would be occasional flips between Tua and Ryan Fitzpatrick for who was under center, but it appears they will settle with Tua moving into 2021.
Furthermore, thanks to their trade of Laremy Tunsil with the Texans last year, they also hold the number three overall pick in the upcoming draft. With a number of high-profile quarterbacks coming out of college, they could have gone that route if they didn’t feel comfortable with Tagovailoa.
In parts of 10 games, Tua threw for 1,814 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also rushed for 109 yards and another three scores.
While things can certainly change as the draft and free agency approaches, it appears for now that it will be Tua-time in Miami all season next year.
